WEBVTT LOWELL MELSER WAS THERE FOR THEHAPPY MOMENT.>> I AM SO EXCITED.IT IS A LONG TIME TO BE AWAYFROM THEM.LOWELL: AIR FORCE MASTERSERGEANT KATHLEEN, WHO ASKEDTHAT WE NOT USE HER LAST NAME,HAS BEEN WAITING SIX MONTHS FORTHIS VERY MOMENT AFTER AHALF-YEAR DEPLOYMENT IN KOREA. WHILE SHE GOT TO TALK TO HERKIDS EVERYDAY OVER THE PHONE ORSKYPE, SEEING THEM IN PERSON ISENTIRELY DIFFERENT. >> IT IS HARD BEING AWAY,ESPECIALLY AS A MOM.I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR IT SINCETHE DAY I LEFT, FOR THIS MOMENTTO BE WITH THEM.IT IS GREAT DOING WHAT WE DOOVER THERE, BUT THIS IS MY REALLIFE, AND I'M GLAD TO BE HOME.LOWELL: KATHLEEN SAYS SHEINITIALLY WANTED TO SURPRISE HERKIDS IN CLASS AT QUARTERFIELDELEMENTARY, BUT THE SCHOOLS' PRINCIPLE HAD A BETTER IDEA. HER YOUNGER TWO SONS, 9-YEAR-OLDLEVI AND 6-YEAR-OLD MICHAEL, HADNO IDEA, THAT THIS, WAS ABOUT TOHAPPEN. IT IS A FAKE OUT FOR ONE HUGESURPRISE.>> I THINK THAT 2 STUDENT --[APPLAUSE] LOWELL: KATHLEEN HAD ALREADYREUNITED WITH HER 14-YEAR-OLDSON ISAIAH EARLIER THURSDAY. SO HOW DOES THE FAMILY FEEL? >> GOOD.HOW DO YOU FEEL, MICHAEL?>> REALLY HAPPY.>> DID YOU KNOW MOMMY WAS COMINGHOME?>> NOT TODAY.LOWELL: WHAT DID THEY MISS THEMOST? >> SNUGGLES.>> PLAYING GAMES WITH HER.

Air Force Master Sgt. surprises kids after 6-month deployment

Mom returns from deployment in Korea

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Updated: 12:08 PM EST Feb 10, 2017

SEVERN, Md. —

Air Force Master Sgt. Kathleen, who asked to not use her last name, waited six months for a special moment Thursday after a half-year deployment in Korea.

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"I'm so excited, I can't even put it into words. It's a long time to be away from them," Kathleen said.

While she got to talk to her kids every day over the phone or Skype, seeing them in person is entirely different.

"So it's hard being away, especially as a mom, so I've been honestly waiting for it since the day I left, for this moment to actually come home to be with them. It's great doing what we do over there, but this is my real life. I'm glad to be home with them," Kathleen said.

Kathleen said she initially wanted to surprise her kids in class at Quarterfield Elementary, but the school's principal had a better idea.

Students who filed into auditorium at the school thought they were going to watch an assembly on positive behavior, but it was a fake-out for one big surprise.

Her younger two sons, 9-year-old Levi and 6-year-old Michael, had no idea that the reunion was about to happen.

Kathleen had already reunited with her 14-year-old son Isaiah earlier Thursday.